February 8, 2011

Yes, those are little carrot hearts! Isn’t that sweet? This is my husband’s veggie soup recipe which has always been a family favorite. One Valentine’s Day, being the romantic that he is (cough, cough) he made it special for the occasion, turning the carrots into little love messengers! Since that day, the recipe has been known as Love Soup!

Love Soup Step By Step:

First, assemble your ingredients:

Note: Those two suspicious looking jars in the back are NOT salsa. Those are home grown tomatoes from last summer which have been blended, cooked and frozen in quart containers. In leiu of frozen or fresh blended tomatoes, you can use canned tomatoes, but I’m warning you: The flavor will not be near as good and I will not be held responsible for the results!

In addition to the items shown, you will also need:

1-2 Tbsp Oil – Olive or Canola

1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning Blend

Salt & Pepper

1-2 Jalepeno Peppers OR 1/2 Green Pepper

Red Pepper Flakes

First, put oil into a LARGE stock pot (this makes a ton of soup – about 8-9 quarts). Now chop 1 large, or two medium, onions and add to the pot:

Next, chop 4 stalks celery. Dont leave out the leaves! (Oooh, I made a funny!)

Throw the celery into the pot with the oil and onions.

Chop 10-12 carrots.

If you are looking for a romantic evening, you can cut them into hearts. Heres how:

Cut a “V” into one side of the carrot. Using a vegetable peeler, scale down the sides into the shape of a heart, and into a slight point opposite your cut-in “V”. Like this:

Now, slice the length of the carrot.

Aren’t they precious?

Almost too cute to put in the pot, but do it anyway.

Turn on the heat and cook until onions and celery are slightly tender.

While they are cooking, you can chop your potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes.

Add them to the pot.

If you are going to take a photo at this point, don’t get too close.

If you do, this is what will happen:

Then, you will have to clean your lens.

Add vegetable broth to the pot.

Drain and rinse 3 – 15 oz cans of beans. You can use whatever variety you like.

These are Light Red Kidney, Great White Northern, and Black Beans.

They look very happy together, don’t they?

Add the beans to the pot. Then, chop 1/2 head cabbage.

Throw it in!

Now, add the tomatoes and stir. Place some of the soup mixture into your blender container.

You’ll want it to be about 2/3 full. Like this:

Take it for a spin!

Then, pour it in!

It looks gross, I know. But you must trust me.

Add 1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning:

We use a lot of this stuff, so I bought it in bulk.

Here is the label:

I order most of my herbs and spices from Monterey Bay Spice Company and from Mountain Rose Herbs.

Mountain Rose caters more to the organic product line, but both have great deals on bulk products. You will pay WAY less for a 1/2 pound at either distributor than you do in the grocery store for a tiny little 2 oz bottle. Just don’t order more than you can use in a six month period, because you don’t want your herbs to lose their health and taste benefits!

Now, for the other seasonings:

2 tsp Black pepper & 2 tsp Salt

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

How’s everybody doing in there? Okay? Good.

Now, for my favorite….Garlic! You need 10 cloves.

Mince them up and add them to the pot.

Incidentally, an easy way to peel the garlic is to place the cloves (or the whole head in this case) into the microwave on high for about 15 seconds. When you cut the end of each clove, the skin should just slide right off.

Look! It’s a CHILLY Pepper! (hehehehehe)

These guys just came out of the freezer, and actually they are Jalapenos from our garden last year. We just wash, dry and freeze them whole in ziploc freezer bags.

Remove the end and seed the peppers:

These guys are ready for a dip in the “hot tub”, I think.

Almost done.

But I know what you’re thinking.

What about the corn? Did she forget about the corn?

No. I would never be so cruel.

The corn is special. We wait to add it until after the soup is blended.

You are going to have to take my word for it, because I didn’t take a photo, but ours went in now.

I swear.

Then we lightly sprinkled in some crushed red pepper flakes for a little zip.

If foam develops on the top of the pot during cooking, just skim it off.

You’ll need to cook this soup over low/medium heat for 1 to 2 hours, stirring every so often.

Then, remove the peppers and let it cool. DON”T EAT IT!

Okay…one little taste, just to check for seasoning. Add salt and pepper if needed. But don’t get carried away. You really have to wait until the following day for the flavors to fully develop.

Heat and serve topped with parmesan cheese, with a nice crusty bread or crackers on the side. This soup is so healthy and satisfying and completely guilt free, so no matter if you have more than a couple bowls!

Enjoy! And by the way, since you have SO much soup to share, invite the neighbors over to enjoy it along with you!

November 29, 2010

Mushrooms are magical. No, not those kind of mushrooms. I’m talking about the regular ones.

Minced and cooked, these gems can stand in for meat, bringing an earthy, almost meaty flavor and texture that is way more authentic tasting than any processed soy granules. Healthier, too!

When I set out to make Chili last weekend, I searched the web and found numerous Vegetarian Chili recipes, and a few called for mushrooms. It was one of those “Aha Moments”. I knew that instead of the bag of TVP in my cupboard that I’d had in mind, I’d be using the giant package of fresh mushrooms in my refrigerator.

Another component of many of the vegetarian chilis were vegetables not traditionally used for chili, like zuchinni and corn. But I wanted a chili that looked and tasted like real chili. So, I did what I do best…I adapted.

This recipe is loosely based on an Emeril Lagasse recipe for Vegetarian Chili, which can be found here.

You’ll need:

2 Tbsp Canola Oil

1 large Onion

2 medium Bell Peppers – Red or Green

4-5 cloves Garlic

2 Serrano or Jalapeno Peppers

20 ounces fresh Mushrooms

2 Tbsp Chili Powder

2 tsp Cumin

1 1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Cayenne

1/4 tsp Pepper

3 large Tomatoes

2 – 15 oz cans beans – I used Red Kidney and Black

1 – 15 oz can Tomato Sauce

1 cup Water

What to do:

Prepare vegetables. First, chop onion.

Chop Bell Peppers.

Mince Serrano Pepper (remove seeds if you don’t like it very spicy) and Garlic. I used a food processor to get them very fine.

Chop Mushrooms into very small pieces (think burger meat size). Again, I used my food processor to make this job easy.

Chop Tomato.

(Oops! No photo – sorry!)

Rinse and drain beans.

In a large stockpot, heat Canola Oil. Add Onions, Peppers, Serrano and Garlic and cook until onions start to become translucent.

Add Mushrooms to pot.

Cook for a few minutes, then add spices and stir for 30 seconds before adding tomato, beans, tomato sauce, and water.

Cook chili over medium heat, stirring often for about 20 30 minutes before serving.

This was so Yummy! The mushrooms really did a great job standing in for the burger meat. I never would have known the difference, except maybe for the lack of grease!

While were on the subject of mushrooms, have you ever seen a Fairy Ring? I had always been told that when you found a ring of mushrooms in the grass, you knew the fairies has been dancing there the night before.

See? Mushrooms really are magical.

We were out playing tennis at a nearby park one day last summer and as happens frequently with unskilled players like us, the ball kept going over the fence (never mind that the fence reaches practically to the sky, we somehow managed to still hit it out of bounds over and over again). During one ball retrieval trip, I spotted this ring of mushrooms and called everyone over to take a look. My friend snapped this photo, which I just love.

To learn more about fairy rings and their true cause, check it out here. I, however, am going to hang onto my belief that it really is a mark of the fairies’ recent visit.

October 12, 2010

Warning: After tasting this, you will never buy the jarred stuff again!

Thank goodness, it’s easy enough to make your own! Since it’s Apple Season, it’s inexpensive to make as well!

You might even be able to get some damaged apples for a song this time of year and since you’ll be peeling them, who cares about any bruises or blemishes on the skin?

I used pretty apples this time, though.

It is fairly important to use a variety of apples for this recipe. Since you are cooking them, and you want this to be chunky, some of the apples will turn to mush and some will retain their texture and shape. Make sure to have at least 1 or 2 Granny Smith or any other apple variety you might use in a pie.

You’ll need:

9-10 Apples

Sugar (to taste – I use about 1/4 – 1/3 cup)

Cinnamon (to taste – I use about 2 Tablespoons)

2 – 3 Tbsp Lemon Juice

1/3 cup Water

What to do:

Wash apples.

Peel, core and slice apples.

Do you have one of these gadgets?

If not, I would highly recommend getting one. They aren’t expensive – I bought mine for less than $8 at Meijer in a half-off sale a few years ago – and they do the job in a jiffy and entice helpers to come into your kitchen to share the work with you!

Here is my Sous Chef at work.

The slicer cuts the peel into one long – and fun – continuous strand, perfect for slurping.

So, once your coring-peeling-slicing is done by the super-gadget, your apples will look like this.

The leftovers will look like this.

This is going to make some chickens I know very, very happy!

Now, cut the apples into pieces. Just quarter each apple.

And viola! They’re not too big. They’re not too small. They’re just right!

Place all apples into a large saucepan, and add lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon and water.

October 10, 2010

(Oh great – now that song by The Wiggles is going to be stuck in my head all day!)

Do you like French Fries?

I’m going to go out on a limb and make the assumption that you answered “Yes” to that question.

These are a much healthier and much tastier alternative to regular French Fries. We first tried this recipe, which was loosely adapted from a recipe I’d seen in some cookbook I’d checked out of the Library, a few summers ago during one of our camping adventures in the yard. Although I cooked these inside the house in a regular oven (one of the great benefits of camping at home), we served them beside veggie burgers and ate them around the fire pit. They were a big hit!

Back then, I made them with regular bread crumbs, but since we discovered Spawn #1 is gluten-intolerant, I now use gluten-free Bread Crumbs, which I easily make myself. Here’s how to do it:

You’ll need some slices of Gluten Free Bread. The leftover ends work well, but any slices will do.

Cut into cubes (or just tear if you don’t want to get your cutting board and knife dirty).

Place into bowl of your Food Processor. If you don’t have a Processor, you could use a coffee grinder, working in small batches.

Process until they are the texture you desire – coarse or fine.

Place crumbs in a baking pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. You don’t want them to brown much, you just want to get the moisture out.

Let cool until ready to use.

I usually like to make a batch with whatever GF Bread is leftover on the weekend when I make a fresh loaf for my son. Recently, we rarely have any bread leftover from the week to make crumbs because my new everyday bread is so tasty that it’s often all gone even before I can bake up another batch!

Just store your crumbs in a freezer bag inside the freezer, and remove only what you need for your recipes. They will keep practically forever. I use my frozen crumbs frequently for Zucchini Au Gratin during summer’s bountiful Zuchinni harvest.

Now that we have our crumbs, we can make our Spicy Breaded Oven Fries!

Here’s what you’ll need:

4 large Potatoes

4-5 Tbsp Bread Crumbs

1 Tbsp Canola Oil

1/4 tsp Cayenne (or less if you can’t handle spicy)

1/2 tsp Ground Cumin

1 tsp Garlic Powder

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Black Pepper

1 tsp Paprika

1 tsp Thyme

What to do:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Line 2 baking sheets with Parchment and set aside.

Measure out your spices into a bowl.

Combine spices with Bread Crumbs, then set aside.

Scrub Potatoes and cut in half. Then cut each half into wedges, leaving some skin on each wedge.

Place Potatoes in a large bowl and drizzle with the oil, tossing to coat.

Sprinkle half of crumb mixture over potatoes.

Toss well with a spoon.

Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture on top.

Toss again, until all the potatoes are fairly evenly coated with the mixture.

Individually lay each wedge on the parchment lined pan, trying to keep them from touching too much.

Once all the potatoes are in the pan, sprinkle any remaining crumb mixture left in the bowl over the top.

Slide trays into oven on middle rack.

Bake for 40-50 minutes (depending on size of wedges) at 425 degrees, until crisp and golden.

September 12, 2010

My job has been a little too busy for my tastes lately. Since I work from home, I usually have a fair amount of free time on my hands for cooking, baking, scrapbooking and of course, blogging! Just think of all the free hours that add up since I save on a long commute to and from the office. Not to mention not having to shower, get dressed, or apply makeup! Okay, you probably think I’m joking, but on some days you just might find me chained to my desk (not to worry – only figuratively) and still in my jammies still at 2 o’ clock in the afternoon!

On these crazy busy days, it helps to have a quick lunch ready to go so I can just grab it and head right back up to my home office. This dish is perfect served alongside Baba Ghanoush, with a grilled pita or a few raw veggies for dipping.

Traditionally, Tabbouleh is made with Bulgar. On a Gluten Free diet, Bulgar – which is made from Wheat – is, of course, a big fat No-No! Yet Quinoa makes a delightful stand-in for the grain and improves on the nutritional value as well. Unlike wheat, Quinoa’s amino acids form a complete protein, so you can feel even better about this vegetarian dish!

Have you tried Quinoa yet? This seed (it’s not a grain) is from the Chenopodium quinoa plant. It originated in South America and was revered among the Incas, but scorned by the Spanish colonists. What fools those colonists were, because Quinoa is highly nutritious, loaded with fiber, and quite tasty! It’s also easy as pie to make – it cooks up just like rice! One of my best friends, who is Gluten-Intolerant, keeps a bowl of cooked Quinoa in her refrigerator. She tops it with Honey and Cinnamon for a quick breakfast before rushing out the door to work on frantic mornings. She’s a clever girl!

Okay, enough small talk. Let’s make lunch.

You’ll need:

1 Large Bunch Fresh Parsley

1 Handful Fresh Mint Leaves (I used Lemon Mint. If you don’t have Mint at all, you can omit it. The dish won’t be quite the same, but still will be good!)

1 small Tomato

1 slice Red Onion

Juice of 1 Lemon

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1/2 cup Cooked Quinoa

Salt & Pepper

What to do:

Rinse, drain, and remove tough stems from Parsley. Then, chop it and throw it in a bowl.

So that it won’t feel left out, chop up the mint as well. Toss it in with the Parsley.

Ditto the onion…

and Tomato.

To the bowl, add Lemon Juice…

and Olive Oil.

Now, add the cooked Quinoa and a sprinkling of salt and pepper (about 1/4 tsp each).

Stir it all together. Can’t you just smell it?

Ta dah!

You can serve this up straightaway but for the best flavor, let it sit for a while first to let the ingredients mingle. My kids like this salad packed into a pita pocket or rolled into Flatbread as a sandwich filling. And how awesome would this be sprinkled atop Hummous on a sandwich?!?!

September 2, 2010

Anyway it’s spelled, this is my favorite amongst favorites of the Greek restaurant dishes. Sure, Hummous rocks my world. I’m very fond of Tabbouleh. And of course, I love me some Greek Salad.

But Baba Ghanoush holds a very special place in my heart. It’s creamy. It’s smokey. It’s so satisfying and nutritious.

And until now, I was never able to replicate the restaurant flavor at home. I tried a few times, but each attempt was followed by a soupy, not-at-all-smoky-tasting bowl of mush which ended up in the trash. Maybe my inability to recreate this dish well is why I held it at such high esteem among the other Mediterranean recipes. Absense makes the heart grow fonder, they say. (Who exactly are “they”, by the way? Does anybody really know?)

I saw this recipe over at Tasty Kitchen. The Parsley Thief had posted it, and even though I had tried to make Baba Ghanoush time and time again, the recipe caught my eye and I was inspired to give it one last chance. I’m so glad I did, because this is the Baba Ghanoush of my dreams!

I’ve roughly doubled the recipe here, just ’cause I just can’t get enough of this stuff.

July 18, 2010

Way healthier than any store-bought version, this simple Granola makes a great topping for fruit and yogurt, ice cream or served straight-up in a bowl with fruit and milk for breakfast. It’s versatile, too! You can substitute pecans and maple syrup for the almonds and honey, or add seeds, coconut or dried fruit to the mix. Just be sure to add any dried fruits AFTER baking!

Now, before you get your boxers all in a bunch, I realize there are Gluten-Intolerant folks out there who just can’t do Oats, even if they are Certfied Gluten-Free. But there are some Gluten-Free and Oat-Free Granola recipes out there, like this one. Usually, some cereal ingredient is substituted for the oats, but the end result is basically the same: a crunchy and slightly sweet concoction with lots of healthful ingredients!

To make this, you’ll need:

4 Cups Oats (Certified Gluten Free – I used Bob’s Red Mill)

1/3 – 1/2 Cup Sliced Almonds

1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon

Dash Nutmeg

Dash Salt

1/3 Cup Canola Oil

1/2 Cup Honey

1 tsp Vanilla

What to do:

In a large bowl, combine Oats, Nuts, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Salt unti well mixed.

In a glass measuring cup, combine Oil, Honey and Vanilla.

Pour Honey mixture into oat mixture while stirring.

Mix well until oat mixture is evenly coated, then place in a 9″ x 13″ baking pan.

(I sure hope your pan is newer and less stained than mine. This particular one goes way back to my youth, so you can imagine how much use this has gotten. But it still works!)

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown, stirring every 10 minutes during baking.

Cool and store in airtight container for up to two weeks or place in the freezer for longer storage.

July 16, 2010

But not the mushy kind that you find in the middle aisles in the grocery store.

I only like the crunchy refrigerated ones.

And the best pickles are the ones I make myself from my own garden’s pickling cukes.

Like these:

Refrigerator Pickles are very easy to make.

You just need pickling cukes…

Fresh Dill….

Kosher Salt, Peppercorns, Garlic, Vinegar and Water.

First, heat 2 cups water with 1/2 cup Kosher Salt. Water will start out cloudy but turn clear when salt is completely dissolved.

Pour about 3/4 inch of hot brine into the bottom of each jar.

Add 8-10 whole peppercorns, a few cloves of garlic (peeled and crushed), and a few sprigs of dill leaves and flowers to each jar.

(It’s like a little terrarium in each jar!)

Add a couple ice cubes to each jar to cool solution (you don’t want to cook the cukes!).

Wash, trim off ends and cut cucumbers into spears (or chunks or slices, whichever you prefer).

Pack pickles into jars snugly. You don’t want them too tight or it will cause the pickles to break apart. Then, add 2 Tbsp (or more if you like the tartness) vinegar to each jar.

Fill the jar to the top with cold tap water.

Seal each jar, then give it a few shakes to distribute the flavors.

(Somebody needs a manicure.)

Label the jars with the date and leave out at room temperature for a few hours before placing in the refrigerator.

If you can help yourself, wait a couple days before eating the pickles for the flavors to develop. These will only keep about 2 – 3 weeks in the refrigerator. That is, presuming you don’t eat them faster than that!

July 14, 2010

In part three of our Indian Night Trifecta, we’ll be tackling the simplest of the three dishes. This doesn’t even require step-by-step photos, so my obvious lack of coordination in terms of cooking and remembering to take pics at the same time won’t even come into play.

You’ll need:

Green Beans (about a pound), washed and trimmed

Canola or Olive Oil

2 Cloves Garlic, minced (or roughly 1 tsp jarred garlic)

Salt

Red Pepper Flakes

What to do:

In large skillet or wok, heat 1 Tbsp Oil.

Add garlic and beans, then sprinkle with salt.

Stir Fry for a few minutes over high heat, then add a bit of liquid (water or broth), reduce heat to medium, and cover.